Machine for expressing fruit juices and the like



' Mac 21, 1933. H. W.-TUTTLE 1,902,738

MACHINE FOR EXPRESSING FRUIT JUICES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 2, 1927 v 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 Q n I o March 21, 1933. H. w. TUT'II'LE MACHINE FOR EXPRESSING FRii'IT JUI'CES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fild Sept. 2, 1927 Patented- Mar. 2 1 1933 i HENRY w. Turns; or cn'rceeo, rumors FOB EXPBESSING FRUIT TO AND THE LIKE A1ipl-1cation filed September 2, 1927. Scria1 1io.'217,-24 8.

The 'invention relates to a machine for expressing the juices from fruits such as oranges and analogous products, and for compressing plasticmaterials to a predetermined degree or condition, the primary object of the invention being to generally improve the construction and'mode of operation, andthereby the efficiency and life of a machine of this character.

More specifically'the improvements I have provided relate to the construction of the receiving hopper, tojthe feed screw and cooperating parts of the casing and the compressing and discharging devices whereby the same are rendered more eflicient and" moreaccessible and therefore more 638113 cleanedthan heretofore in machines of this type. The improvements comprising my invention as applied to the screw form of press provide a continuous action device which, when used in treating fruits as oranges and the like, operates efliciently in compressing the pulp of the fruit and thereby separating in a highly eflicient manner the juices or liquids therefrom. The invention is likewise adapted to the treatment of a wide range of plastic or semi-plastic materials which may by such treatment he reduced in bulk and compressed in being discharged from my improved device under predetermined conditions of pressure, thus insuring that the material on being discharged from the machine has been submitted to a uniform and predetermined degree of pressure. In short, the machine is adapted to the treatment of all plastic or semi-plastic materials where it may be desired to separate-air or liquids therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of the liquid mixing anddelivery trough and strainer in a machine of this character.

My'mproved machine is shown as operated by an electric motor and it is a further object of the invention to generally improve the..construction of the gearing for driving the screw from the motor.

- Other objects will appear from the fol-.

iment ,of my invention, the novel features being set forth'in the appended claims. In the said drawing's,i Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View "of the machine, the compressing screw being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 isa diagrammatic view illustrating in detail the special construction of the compressing screw orworm and the 00 0pcrating portions of the casing, both of' which are important features of my inventi-on. r

Fig. 3 is an elevation taken at the pulp I discharge end of the machine.

F iga 4 is 'a transverse sectional View through the pulp screw and casing.

Fig. 5. is an enlarged longitudinal section-' al view of the parts atthe discharge end of the machine as shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary views showing details of parts at the discharge end of the machine, Fig. 6 being a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 8.

'Fig. 8 is an end elevation view of the discharge-mechanism taken at the left hand end as itappears in Fig. 5.

The reference character A designates generally the casing containing screw B which as is usual in this class of machines is mounted to rotate within the casing, being supported at the discharge end by trunnion C in bearing D which is a part of a specially con-' structed composite discharge device or no-zzle consisting, of the parts D and P through -machine Power is imparted to the screw B through gear pinion H on the motor drive shaft to the gears J and K which are connected to rotate withshaft L, and gear K is in mesh with thelarger gear M connected with and by which the screw B is rotated, the relative sizes of the gears being such as I shown in order. to decrease the screw speed of the driving motor when, as in this emwhich the material after having been com- E designates an bodiment,,the electric motor is employed as the source of power.

In machines of this character the life of the machine is determined by the alignment of the screw in relation to its casing and this is limited to the life or durability of the bearings, and this is particularly true of the machine of my invention since the screw bearings at each end of the screw are of ample proportions and completely cen-- terand sustain the screw so that the spiral ribs of the screw do not at any time in the operation of the screw contact with the spiral ribs of the casing, there being pref erably a clearance between these parts sufficient to prevent contact between the ribs of the screw and those. of the casing, such clearance being only ordinarily sufficient to insure that the outer spiral periphery of the.

screw does not at any time contact with the surrounding casing.

To maintain proper alignment and maxiinu'm durability I have provided three an nular bearings for the screw and one special anti-friction thrust bearing, all of which are readily renewable by the user without the services of an expert mechanic. The screw B is provided at its driving end with a shaft 10 journalled to rotate in the main supporting bearing 11 which ispreferably provided with a renewable bronze or analo gous bushing 12, the bearing 11 being preferably an integral part of casing G. The aforesaid gear M is keyed or otherwise attached to shaft 10 and to furthersupport the screw and its shaft '10 I provide an auxiliary bearing 13 with a bushing 14!. To take the end thrust of the screw I provide an antifriction bearing of the ball or rollertype which is shown specifically as consisting of '21 being formed around a discharge orifice in the discharge casing P, the latter being detachably connected with the screw threaded discharge end of the main 'screw casing A as indicated at 18 in Figs. 1 and 5. The valve stem 20 may be rigidly supported as shown by. screw threading into its support 19 and it carries the valve 22 which is 'slidably mounted on the stem. The function of the valve 22 is to control the pulp discharge so that a-predetermined pressure may-be exerted thereon .and the construction and mode of operation of. my improved valve construction and co-operating parts enables me to attain results not heretofore attained in machines of this character. By: ofiering a predetermined resistance which may be adjusted as desired, my improved discharge valve construction enables the machine to extract with uniformity to any predetermined and desired extent the liquids, and compress the solids to any predetermined degree of pressure regardless of the rate of feed in relation to machine speed, which has not been possible with prior devices of this character. 7

The valve 22 is preferably circular in form and co-operates with its seat 21 as shown in .Fig. 5 to completely close the discharge orifice. It is urged toward its seat 21 and a stop on the outer end of support 19 by a compression spring 23 surrounding the stem 20 and restrained by the adjustable nut 24 screw threaded onthe stem 20.

In a compressing and juice extracting machine the efiiciency will depend upon the degree of pressure and the uniformity of pres sure applied to the material being treated. The discharge orifices of machines'of the prior art have been controlled by various adjustable devices that merely change the cross sectional area of the discharge opening and consequently irregularities in speed and feed result in widely varying degrees of pressure and faulty and wasteful operation.

With my improved spring valve con-- trolled discharge orifice a uniform degree of pressure will at all times be exerted 011 material being treated regardless of its character or the rate of feed, dependent'solely upon the degree of adjustment predetermined by the operator in tensioning compression spring 23 by adjusting nut 24:. The peripheral ring or part 19 supports this valve stem supporting member by a close sliding fit in an enlarged portion of the casing P, fastening on the main screw casing, the two parts of. the support 19 being connected by opposite radial bridges or spokes 25 (Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 8) which are preferably bevelled at their forward edges as at 26 to. present cutting screw on its passage to the discharge valve orifice.

In machines of this character there is a v erating with pins 32.

features of my invention. Y

edges to outflowing material as it leaves the The screw B is constructed as in the usual practice in the form of a frustum of a cone with the large end atthe receiving or hopper end of the screw casing A. In Fi 1 it will be seen the pitch of the screw gra ually diminishes toward the discharge end for about two. thirds of its length after which the pitch of the same is constant. The

shape of the convolutions of the ribs and grooves of the screw as well as the shape of the co-operatin and ribs on the interior of the screw casing are a departure from prior art practices. This is best illustrated by reference to Fig. 2 in which'the shapes of these respective ribs and grooves are diagrammatically shown. I find it desirable to decrease the difference in the relative diameters of the respective ends of the screwso that the diameter of thesame at the discharge end is more nearly that of the intake or hopper end than usual in the art as shown in the drawings. gives greater space for the passage of material and tends to avoid grinding action thereon and also afiords a longer path of. travel and greater squeezing 'efiiciency. I also find it desirable to form, the spiral grooves in both the casin and in the screw of ample proportions muc wider and deep er. in cross section. than heretofore in this v art. I also have discovered that I am able to greatly increase the efficiency of the screw an its co-operating casing in their squeezing action by forming the spiral grooves in the casing. of the same pitch as the screw and consequently of the same width as the grooves of the screw and approximating more nearly than in the prior art thearea in cross section of the grooves in. the screw.

The spiral grooves of the casing will be formed o'p osite to the corresponding spiral grooves o the screw, i. e. one right hand s iral and the'otheq left, andthe efiect of this construction is for the screw to carry material in the spiral path' of the casing. This feature of construction enables me to improve the effect of the action of the screw upon the material being treated as the mater1al 'is fed 'forwardly around the spiral groove of the casing and'is caused repeatedly to be forced over a juice screen or strainer 40 that is positioned longitudinally of the casing at. -the bottom thereof. The top side of the strainer is positioned in the casin in the planeiof thelnner edges of the ire ribs and in ap" roximately the plane 0 the periphery of e ribs on. the screw. It is also curved on itsupper side to fit .the curvature of the screw. At each side of the opening for the strainer QO-the material of the casing is thickened or formed-upwardly as indicated at 52 soas'to fill the grooves to the level of the tops otthe spiral ribs of the casing, this fillmg being wedge shaped. The eflect will be to cause the material as convolutions of grooves v This it is carried around the spiral grooves of the revolution ofthe screw to a squeezing action as it is forced through the restricted passageway between the lower side of the easing and adjacent strainer plate by the screw. However, since the spiral grooves of the screw and of the casing are of progressively casing by the screw to be subjected. each decreasing area in cross section, 1t will be" seen that the restricted passageway at the strainer plate 41, while it has the effect of rather suddenly or abruptly decreasing the available area in cross section-of the mate-. rial being fed forwardly by the screw, the effect of this rather sudden contraction at the strainer is not to permit any substantial release of the'material or sudden ex-.

pansion'of the same as it passes over the strainer plate,- because by that time the forward rotation and travel of the screw will have contracted the cross sectional area of a the screw. channel a substantial amount so? from the hopper to the discharge orifice .of

' the casing will be of gradually and uniformly decreasin area in cross'section, and the effect or cho 'ng action of the strainer will be to somewhat abruptly diminish the area of the stream of material in cross section as it passes over the strainer, but the release dire to the shape of'the casing is-substantia-lly only equal to the amount of the-normal contraction of the available space between the grooves in the screw and-the casing sothat immediately after passing over the strainer for a short distance, the cross sectional area of the stream. will be substantially constant, afterwhich there will continue to be, during. the remainder of the revolution of the stream of the material until it again passes overthe strainer, a pro-' gressively decreasing area.

Another feature of construction ofthe.

screw and its co-operating casing resides in my discovery that by shaping the respective grooves in cross section of both the. screw and the casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I very materially increase the efiectiveness of the conve "n and squeezing action of these parts.- 11 iig. 2 this feature is shown by the shape of the walls of the respective grooves mdicated -by the arrows.

I form the rear walls of the screw ap roximately angle of t e pitch of escrew. This afooves in the aral el with the I fords a superior contact of the screw with material being acted upon and the effect is improved by increasing the angle of the opposite wall of the corresponding groove in the casing in relation to the axis of the screw. The result is to bring these respec: tive co-operating walls of the screw and easing grooves as indicated at a: and 3 respectively, (Figs. 1 and 2) into approximate parallelism as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2, which greatly increases the conveying and squeezing action of theseelements on soft pulpyor plastic materials, as the cross sectional area of the spiral cooperating grooves of the casing and screw progressively decrease during the progress of the material through the machine.

The action of the screw and easing with their non-grinding, co-operating spiral ribs and grooves is to form the material in the casing to the shape of an internally and externally threaded nut, which as the screw rotates is smoothly carried forward in a circular direction, progressively diminishing in bulk and increasingly being compressed, and as the discharge opening of the casing is completely closed by a valve, which may be regulated to oppose any resistance desired, the nut-shaped material will be compressed to the predetermined.

pressure required to eject it.

The aforesaid constricted portions in the spiral grooves of the casing adjacent the juice trough and strainer may be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 4. In Fig. 4 the screw B is shown in section and t groove wall appears in elevation as ind cated at 50. The wall ,1 of the casing groove also appears in this view as indicated, and the casing groove is seen to be filled near the bottom of each convolution thereof as indicated at 52 at each side of the juice strainer 40 to the top of the strainer and to the top of the threads or spiral ridges between the grooves of the casing so that at the bottom the spiral threads of the screw will travel in the approximate plane of the outer periphery of the screw threads of screw B. This results in a distinct compression of the material passing thro'u h the machine at each passage of the materlal over the juice strainer greatly accelerat ing the compression and juice extracting action whereby -my machine is found to extract and conserve a much greater percentage of .fruit juices than in any machine heretofore produced without mingling solids or undesirable particles with the uice. Extensive tests that I have made show that this will result. in a saving of juice, amounting to aproximately four quarts to six quarts of uice in a case of oranges and other "fruits sults is made possible by the co-operation of the improved screw mechanism described, including the position of the juice strainer and the described approximately parallel screw surfaces w and 3/ in combination with my improved dischar enspring controlled valve mechanism whic as stated, renders the pressure constant, regardless of variations inspeed of the'screw, character of materials being operated upon or variations in feed relative to machine speeds, all of which conditions have proven troublesome in analogous machines of the prior art.

It will be noted that the restriction of the cross section of the grooves adjacent the strainer in the casing does not prevent the material therein from progressively and smoothly passing forward nor is there an expanding action after passing over the strainer as the area of the grooves in the screw and casing walls .are of progressively diminishing area, the area of the grooves on the after side of the strainer being of progressively less area than the area over the strainer. This prevents alternate compressing and expanding action and causes .the material therein to progressively diminish in bulk.

The juice strainer 40 extends longitudinally of the bottom of the casing, closing, except for the perforations 41 therein, the juice slot 55 that extends lengthwise of the casing from a point below the hopper to near the end of the screw, as shown in Fig. 1. It is supported by integral bridge pieces 56, 57 of easing A, spaced across the juice slot and by ledges 58, 59 at the ends thereof. Attached to the casing as acontinuation of juice slot 55 is a collecting and mixing trough 7 0 connected by stirrups 71,72, which are pivotally mounted at 74 in the casing walls as shown and are capable of being used to detachably clamp the trough to the casing so that it may be quickly and easily removable for cleaning. Spring pressed plungers or locking pins 73 are used to secure the stirrups in locking position by engaging shallow notches in the ends of the trough, and these notches are so formed that by a slight blow or pressure on the free end of the stirrups they may be quickly caused to engage or disengage the trough. The trough 70 is in the form of an elongated funnel depressed preferably at the outer or discharge end of the casing and provided with a downwardly opening discharge nozzle 75.

readily removable for cleaning purposes.

At the hopper end of the casing A it is adapted to ltelescope over. a: peripheral shoulder on'the frame G as indicated at (Fig. 1). 'A quick detachable connection is provided by the locking stirrups 82 pivotally connected to casing frame G and pro- I prefer to make the casing A and parts backward movement of materials from the feed screw and its casing'during the operation of the screw on material passing through the machine.

From the foregoing description it will be seen my improved-machine is intended to separate the liquid and solid content of plastic materials,*so that.either or both may be" recovered in their separate state and for compressing plastic material to apredeter-'. mined condition and pressure.

,What I claimasmy invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a screw casing provided on the interior thereof with spiral inwardly projecting ribs having feed grooves therebetween, and a co-opera-ting screw revolubly mountedwithin said casing and be-.

, ing provided with-a continuous spiral rib extending from end to end thereof, and having a continuous spiral feed groove beside walls of the grooves of the said screwtween said ribs and co-operating with the.

spiral feed ooves of the said casing, there being a portion of theside'wall of each con volution of the said groove in the casing formed to lie approximately parallel to the plane of the pitch of thescrew, one of the opposite the aforesaid wall in thegroove of the'casing being formed also approximately 7 parallel to the plane of the pitch ofthe screw and consequently approximately-parallel with the opposing Iwall in the corresponding grooveof the casing. 'h'

in t e 2, In combination," a screw casin approximate form of a frustum o acone,

5 having a hollow interior-in the ap roxi-' mate form of the frustum of a cone, t 'e interior thereof ,from end to end bein" formed of ribs in spiral formation .wit spiral grooves lying between said ribs, and a screw co-o crating with the interior of said cas- ,ofthe pitch of .thescrew and the wall of ing I ing of the approximate 'form' of the frustum of a cone, and having spiral ribs formed thereon with spiral grooves between said ribs for co-operating with the aforesaid spiral grooves in the casing, thewall of each of the said grooves in the casing adjacent the discharge endof the screw being formed to lie approximately parallel with the plane each of the said spiral grooves-in the screw opposing the last said walls in the grooves the casing being'formedto lie approximately the plane ofthe pitch f the'screw and consequently approximately parallel to the aforesaid portion of the wall of the vgroove in the casing, a dischargedevice for permitting the passage of liquids from the bottomof the casing and below the screw,

and means in the casing adjacent the said discharge device for constrictin the grooves in the casing adjacent the said discharge device. 3. In combination, a screw casing, a screw revolubly mounted therein, the said screw thereof toward the discharge end of' the casing being formed to lie for a portion of their length approximately parallel, to the plane of the pitch of the screw, and the co-I operating wall in each groove of the screw being also formed to lie approximately inthe plane of the pitch of the screw and parallel to the aforesaid portion of the wall of the groove in the casing. Y a

ribs in spiral formation, a screw for co-operati'ng with the interior of said casing and being provided with ribs in spiral formation to co-operate with the'ribs in the casing,

casing being provided from end to end thereof with internally projecting ribs in spiral form with co-operatin grooves tween the said ribs in the'casing, the walls .of the said grooves in the casing at the side e0 4. In combination, a screw casing having 1 on the interior thereof inwardly projecting I the major portions of the diametrically op-- posi-te or opposing walls of the. groovesin the screw and. easing being approximately parallel with each other, a juice discharge device inthe casing adjacent the screw along the lower side thereof, the said co-operating grooves in the screw and casing being portion of the length of the-screw and the casing of gradually decreasing area in cross section from the receiving end to the-dis.- charge end of, the screw and casing, and means for constricting the total area of the grooves in. cross section formed between the. co-operating ribs in the casing and the screw for a adjacent the. juice discharge device in the-- caslngg a a o 5.- n combination, 'a-sc'rew casm a screw revolubly mounted therein, the said casing being formed with spiral inwardly projecting ribs with corresponding grooves therebetween, a screw revolublv mounted within the casing andco-operatingwith the said spiraLribs and grooves therein, the S8111 screw being provided with ribs spiral formation with spiral grooves'lyingt ere-' the grooves toward the discharge end of the casing? being cut out. to lie approximately parallel -to the plane of the pitch of the screw, and the wall of each convolution of the groove of the screw at the side thereof toward the receiving end'of the casing being cut to lie in the' approximate plane of the pitch of the screw and consequently apbetween, the walls of each convolution of proximately parallel-with the aforesaid wall in the groove of the casing, and means for rotating the screw within the casing. 6. In combination, a screw'casing, a screw revolubly mounted therein, there being cooperating grooves in the casing and the screw whereby to feed material from one end to the other of said screw and casing, the dis charge end of the casing being screw threaded, and a discharge device detachably connected with the screw threaded portion of the said casing, the said discharge device comprising a discharge nozzle with'a constricted opening in the outer end thereof, a valve mounted to reciprocate in said constricted opening, a spider comprising a bearin for the outer end of the screw, there being discharge passages around said bearing leading to the said constricted discharge opening and valve, a shaft connected with said spider portion adapted to supportthe said valve, and springmeans on the shaft for controlling the movements of the valve. 7. In combination with a screw and casing therefor, a discharge device detachably connected with the casing at the delivery end thereof comprising a nozzle with a restricted opening, a spring controlled valve for controlling the said opening, a bearing for 30 supporting the discharge end of the screw, said bearing being supported by the said discharge device and forming a part thereof, and a shaft supported by said bearing for iding the movements of the said spring controlled .valve. v v

8; In combination with a screw and easing therefor, a discharge device detachably connected with the casing at the delivery end thereof comprising a nozzle with a restricted opening, a spring controlled valve for controlling the'said opening, a bearing for supporting the discharge end of the screw, said bearing being supported by the said discharge device and forming a part there- 45 of, a shaftsupported by said bearing for guidin the movements of the said spring control edvalve, and means for adjustably controlling the normal spring pressure on said valve. 9.' In combination, a screwcasing, a screw revolubly mounted therein a discharge device detachably connected with the delivery end of the said screw and being provided with a restricted discharge opening, a spring controlled valve for the said opening, and a discharge spout detachably telescoped over the discharge end of the said casing around the said spring controlled valve 1 p 7 10. In combination, a screw casing,fa screw revolubly mounted therein a discharge device detachably connected to the'casin g at the discharge end thereof and provided with a restrictedadischarge spring valve con 5 trolled opening, a spider carried within the discharge opening of said device and comprising a bearing for the free end of the screw together with a radially extending arm for centering the said bearing, the 'edge of the said arm adjacent the screw being provided with a cutting edge to prevent the lodgement of material being discharged by the screw through said device.

11. In combination, a screw casing, a

screw rotatably mounted therein, there being connected with the casing and adapted to cooperate withthe ends of the said juice spout. .12. In combination a screw having spiral ribs and spiral grooves between said ribs,

said spiral grooves being of constantly diminishing pitch and cross sectional area from'one end to the other end of the said screw, a'screw casing providedwith spiral ribs and havlng grooves between said ribs,

said ribs and grooves on said casing traversing a path in opposite direction to the direction of the path of the ribs and grooves of .the screw but lying adjacent to and co-operating with the said ribs and grooves in the screw, the grooves in'the casing. being of constantly diminishing cross sectional area from the intake to the discharge ends thereof, the grooves of greatest area in both the screwand the casing being both adjacent the intake end of the casing and the grooves of least area of both screw and easing being at the discharge end thereof, the said screw being-,revolubly mounted within the casing, and means for actuating the screw within the casing in order that the material entering the casing may be compressed and formed into a core having substantially the form of an internally and v externally threaded nut, the inside of which will conform to the spiral of the screw and the outside of which will conform to the spiral of the casing within which said core, as the screw is revolved, will travel forwardly in va. spiral direction following the spiral grooves in the casing and progressively become of less crosssectional' area from the intake to the dischargeend of the casing.

13. In combination with a screw and casing therefor, a discharge device on the easing at the delivery end thereof comprising a nozzle with a restricted opening, a spring controlled Valve for normally closing said 130 opening and adapted. to be forced out of said opening by the pressure of material on the inside of said casing for discharging material being operated on by said screw within the casing, a hearing at the discharge end of the casing for supporting the discharge end of the said screw, and a shaft concentric with the axis of said bearing and supported by the material of said bearin for guiding the movements of the said spring controlled valve.

14. In combination, a screw casing, a screw rotatably mounted therein, there being a longitudinal juice discharge slot in the bottomof the casing, a juice strainer detachably mounted to communicate with said slot, a juice trough adapted for detachable connection with the screw casing adjacent'the said longitudinal discharge opening therein and communicating therewith, a discharge spout having a venting function for the said juice trough, and a spring actuated qnick detachable locking device for connecting and disconnecting the juice trough in relation to said slotted screw casing.

15. In combination with a screw andcasing therefor, a discharge device carried by the delivery end of the casing and comprising a nozzle with a restricted opening, a valve adapted normally to close the said opening, an adjustable spring for holding the said valve normally in a closed position, and a non-rotatable shaft supported by the casing on the approximate radial center of the said opening guiding the movements of the said spring-controlled valve in relation to the said restricted discharge opening.

16. In a machine of the described character, the combination with a rotatable screw and a casing therefor, of a discharge device at one end of the casing comprising a nozzle having a restricted opening providing a valve seat, a spring-controlled valve for cooperating with said restricted valve seat opening, and means for guiding the move- I ments of said spring-controlled valve in relation to the said restricted valve opening comprising a non-rotatable guide sha t sup ported by and positioned at the outer extremity of the casing beyond the said restricted discharge valve opening, and a coiled spring, one end of which engages the said valve and the other end of which is adjustably secured in relation to said guide shaft whereby to vary the resilient pressure of said spring on said valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 11th day of August A. D. 1927.

HENRY W. TUTTLE. 

